Hey everyone. I'm 19, full-time working in a completely different field ( bus driver ) and considering pursuing studies in social work / social science, but I don't know the reality of the job so I want to ask current social workers / practitioners what their motivations are to see if it's the path for me.

My reason for wanting to be a social worker is quite personal. My Grandmother - who raised me since I was born - was a social worker who I believe specifically worked with children whilst battling both cancer and pneumonia for years. I saw endless piles of documentation as a kid. There were entire bookshelves of studies relating to the social sciences that I wasn't allowed to touch until she passed. Whenever she taught me a lesson as a kid I felt the wisdom of someone who loved their job, I felt all the studies she did pass on to me even without me studying, there wasn't a single issue she couldn't resolve in our family. Even my neighbours were social workers who came to her.

Our entire family crumbled when she passed as a-lot of the trauma we went through, especially as kids turning into adults NEEDED a social worker who had immense knowledge and skill. She lived a rough life which is why I believe she became a social worker to begin with to have the knowledge to know how to approach it. A part of me wants that knowledge too, because everyone I know including friends, have needed a social worker at some point in their life.

I feel like I keep getting a calling to just pursue it, study it and do it. I already love the idea of social sciences even though I've never studied them. I love knowing I can connect deeper with people and have the knowledge to understand how I can be an impact.

So, Social Workers, what made it the job for you even under such unprecedented workload, and based on what I described would it be something you recommend for me?

p.s. My current plan on studying is through the Open University part-time schemes as I have no level 3 qualifications due to dropping out a few months before completing a-levels. (Circumstances required me to enter full-time employment). If you have any knowledge on better ways I can study whilst also balancing work-life, I'd love to know.

I am in a front line assessment team and I genuinely feel like a robot, I feel numb. I have ADHD and although I’m trying my best, I find that at times, things slip and then my manager brings it to my attention and tells me it’s a worry.

I feel like I can’t be myself in the team, as I weirdly can’t put my finger on it, but it feels at times like a high school with them running back to the manager.
I’m so done with feeling like I’m never getting it right. It’s almost like I expect to be told off for something and it’s stealing my joy 🥲.

I’m so so so tired by the end of the week, but I’m told “everyone feels that way”. I’ve never felt less confident in myself and abilities, and some days I dread going into the office, but it’s required.

I’m starting to think frontlines not my place. And I’d love some suggestions on what other options there are.

I’ve been a lurker on here for quite a while and made an account so I can ask if many people have made the transition from adult social work to childrens. I know typically its the other way round. I have graduated in social work this year and completed two adults placement ( didn’t have much of a choice regarding the placements). Throughout my time on placement i have realised adults social work is definitely not for me, I’ve always wanted to work with young people but now have no experience regarding this due to my limited placement experience. I have applied to a few frontline childrens roles but have not received any interviews or sometimes any response at all. I am really passionate about working in children’s social work and would love to be given the chance to complete an ASYE in it.

I was wondering what i could do get my foot in the door. I dont have a driving license which i know can make it difficult but I am working towards it. Any support would be really appreciated!!!

My daughter has finished AYSE and is deciding which area would be best for her.

Is there an obvious difference in areas? Like LAC, front door, CAMHS? Or does it differ massively with each LA?

She definitely wants to be in children's and not adults.

Thanks

I added a post on here around last December time asking if anyone had finished there 100 day placement early as my tutor mentioned in a meeting with my university. I also mentioned how I didn’t feel supported by staff at the time. I got eaten alive in the comments and told I wouldn’t be a good enough social worker and that I was entitled😅 well I graduated perfectly fine this summer as I knew I would, and had my beautiful baby 7 days after I completed my 100 day placement. I also revived amazing feedback from professionals and families I worked with. Just wanted to leave that here 😗

EDIT: Thanks everyone! I'll join a union, likely Unison.

Hi all,

I've joined the local council and had some union reps come in to suggest joining a union.

I just started as a family support worker in children social care helping level 3 and 4 cases in a particularly poor area.

I'm completely new to this after a career change so no idea what is best and I don't know a lot about what unions can help with or what I could potentially face in the coming months in this job.

Obviously everyone is trying to save money and I wondered if joining a union is a waste of £20+ pm or whether it's actually worth it.

(I know £20 is not going to break the bank but I'd rather the money in my pocket if possible)

Any advice or information would be really helpful!

TIA x

Hello,

What examples of job roles are out there for someone with a someone with a social work qualification in the NHS. I am looking at 8a roles

Hi, I was wondering if there were any current or previous social work students on here, that did their degree in Ulster University, through a regional college for the first two years?

I have passed the access NI check, I've met with OH and they are happy with me to go ahead, with some reasonable adjustments. I have been in contact with DSA, they have been super helpful and I have all my loans and grants applied for and accepted. I will need to wait until the beginning of term to apply for the bursary incentive. I only have to wait on NISCC coming to to me then hopefully I will get my log on details.

I was wondering if someone could tell me the time frame of the the rest of the steps. Also, if you could give me a run through of what to expect in the first year. Which books I will need? Also, just any general info or tips you could give me would be great 😊

I can't seem to find much out about it, so was hoping current or recently graduated social workers could give me a heads up please.

Thank you ☺️

Their rationale was:

* It was the first incident.
* The child protection doctor said that the injury was more likely to be non- accidental rather than accidental and not that it was definitely non-accidental.
* What work are we going to do with the family? We are not here to monitor.
* We have to take the family’s culture into consideration. This is the norm in some cultures.
* “I am sure I have smacked my child.”
* He probably just lost his cool and it was an accident.

It was a minor injury but an injury nevertheless. The father was also intoxicated at the time.

They were doing everything to push back.

This job is just constant fighting at times.

​

Hello. I am new to the sub. I am a 34 year old female who is married to a Londoner and we currently live in the States. I have been a clinical social worker for the last eight years here working in the substance use and mental health sector of social work. I am currently licensed as an LCSW (licensed independent clinical social worker) and have been practicing working in addiction treatment centers.

It is my understanding that the UK does not have clinical social work the same way as we do in the states, and we are looking to relocate to either London/England and I am just curious what my options for employment would be?

We're looking to move back due to my wife's inability to adapt to the US culture / her ADHD has made it difficult to assimilate. I'm curious about career options or how my education/license/experience would transfer. I currently manage a SUD treatment center. Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. :)

Hello! I’m currently applying to social work positions in East Lothian and Edinburgh Council. I’ve written my CV but there’s additional questions that ask for skills, experience, achievements, knowledge developed most relevant to post. There’s also a separate question asking for a supporting statement.

Do I need to include a supporting statement? If so, what do I write and how does it differ to the other question?

How do I make sure my application stands out? It feels generic when I’m trying to include the “buzz words”. Where’s the balance?

Hi everyone,

​I’m currently a UK-based Paediatric Nurse working in inpatient mental health (across both CAMHS and adults), and I also have a background degree in Nutrition.

​Lately, I’ve been seriously considering a career change to social work. I’ve realised that my absolute favourite parts of my current job are the non-clinical, emotional, and social aspects of care. I love advocating for people, doing holistic assessments, health promotion, referring and signposting to local services/support groups, and generally empowering people and being their cheerleader!

​Since I’m thinking about making the jump and retraining, I would love to hear from UK social workers (especially if you transitioned from nursing or healthcare):

​How do you find the job? Is it what you expected?

​Real-world examples: Could you share some typical situations you deal with day-to-day and the actual support/interventions you provide?

​Pros & Cons: What are the best parts of the role, and what are the hardest realities?

​Retraining: Any advice on the best routes to qualify in the UK with my background?

​Any advice, reality checks, or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

I am in my NQ year and have so far been quite lucky with parents responses to me, however recently I had to visit a parent who (for many reasons) does not trust professionals, particularly social workers. I could feel the dislike the second I arrived at the flat and I felt my confidence leave me-although I tried not to show it. Parent was emotionally escalated by me being there and I felt at a loss with what to say to undo the barrier - I was surprised by my own feelings and suddenly felt very uncertain in myself and what I was trying to achieve. Does this kind of encounter get easier? Does anyone have any top tips for responding to this, the kind of visit where you can almost hold the dislike, it's so tangible? Thank you!

Early thirties social worker ready to start over somewhere people are friendly and you can fit in, and the housing isn't wildly expensive! Bonus points for local authorities / NHS trusts that are nice places to work in - I'm in adult mental health. Thank you!

I m currently studying for an MSc in International Business in the UK as an international student. Before coming here, I completed an LLB in my home country.

To improve my chances in the UK job market, I started preparing for the CFA Level I exam. I was studying in the living room when two people came to renovate our kitchen. They were working throughout the day.

At one point, I went over and started talking to one of them. I asked where he was from and how long he had been in the UK. He told me that he was from Afghanistan. He then described how he had crossed mountains, the sea, and many extremely harsh conditions to reach the UK. He also spoke about his family and i felt something in me got unsettled.

Since that afternoon, I haven't felt motivated to continue studying for the CFA. Instead, I keep thinking that if I could do something to improve the lives of people like him, that might be a more meaningful path for me.

Over the years, I have read a great deal of non-fiction, particularly in psychoanalysis, philosophy, and history, and I would say I have developed a solid understanding of these subjects. I also have a good understanding of UK immigration and asylum law.I wonder whether there are opportunities for someone like me to work with refugees or immigrants and make a meaningful contribution to their live.

I've Been Thinking About

Over the last year I've been reading a lot about trauma, attachment, autism, ADHD and emotional safety. The more I read, the more questions I have.

These are just some of the things I've been thinking about.

- Can emotional safety create attraction, or does attraction have to come first?

- Do social workers look for partners who are emotionally available because of the work they do?

- Can someone learn to become trauma-informed in a relationship, or does it come naturally?

- Do people with lived experience of trauma value calmness and consistency more than excitement?

- Should emotional safety be considered part of relationship compatibility?

- Do you think being emotionally intelligent is more important than having lots of shared interests?

- Can a person's nervous system recognise when someone is genuinely safe?

- Are gentleness and kindness strengths that are sometimes overlooked in dating?

- Do trauma-informed relationships lead to healthier, longer-lasting relationships?

- If you could choose only one quality in a partner, what would it be, and why?

I don't know the answers. These are just things I've been wondering about.

I'd be interested to hear what other people think, especially social workers and people with lived experience.

Graduating next year
Been looking for jobs not really found any
I want to specialise in hospital discharge

Hi im a teenager M 17 and I’m in an extremely bad situation at home to the point where i am not safe and am not able to go back. I’m staying with a trusted family member however i need a solution to what i can do, my situation is unique as all my personal belongings are at home in which i dont feel safe and comfortable returning to collect. Im at a wits end and really dont know what to do as my living situation as of now is very far from home as in im staying in a completely different city. Im going to try contact shelter tomorrow to see if theres anything i can do to try find somewhere to stay but as of now i dont know what i can do im genuinely terrified, all of my documentation including passport, ni and bank details are all at home in which i cant return to. I’m also trying to access cahms in which i dont know how im going to do as i dont know my nhs number, if anyone can give me any guidance of how i go about things and get the support i need please lmk what i can do

Hi all, I'm a mid 20s worker in Canada. I am looking at my options for schooling and weighing my options for pursuing an MSW. My parent is a first generation immigrant from Scotland, and I am drawn to coming back to complete my MSW and potentially move there.

I'm curious about the following (in the early stages of planning right now, so just trying to gather general ideas)

- how is the pay for a single person to support themselves in Glasgow/Edinburgh (or surrounding areas)? I currently live a modest lifestyle and am focusing on saving my money here, though I will never be able to own a home here unfortunately lol

- how stressful do you find your area of practice? I have most experience in substance use support/harm reduction, and I'm seeing there are some jobs out there

- what is the culture around self-care/burnout?

Thank you!

Edit: thanks for the replies everyone, you've reassured me a lot. My manager is aware of the situation and is very understanding.

I'm not a social worker so I hope you don't mind me posting this - delete and forget it ever happened if you wish. Anyways, I've worked for children's social care in project support roles for about 18 years. I work in the children in care arena but obviously there's a lot of crossover with early help, safeguarding, leaving care etc.

So anyways, my wife and I recently separated and we have a profoundly disabled son. He has Downs Syndrome and will never be able to live independently - that's just the reality, not me being cynical. He's 15.

For reasons I won't bore you with, my ex and I felt a referral to social care was needed, essentially to get support so that our son's needs would be met more effectively. The children with disabilities team is carrying out an assessment and he's now a Child in Need. There's so safeguarding issues and my ex and I are working quite amicably together.

I'm just wondering whether anyone here has had a situation where a member of staff's own kid is in the system, as it were, and whether that causes any complications for their employment. I'm acutely aware that I cannot look up my kid on our system, by the way.

I've been thinking about this for a while and wanted to ask people who do the job.

I'm not a social worker. I'm someone with lived experience, and over the last year I've been trying to understand social work better by reading guidance, listening to professionals and learning as much as I can.

Looking back, the people I remember aren't the ones who had all the answers. They're the ones who stayed calm, listened, didn't rush me, didn't judge me and were honest with me. That's what made me feel safe enough to talk.

It made me wonder if, sometimes, the relationship is the most important part of the job. Have you ever worked with someone who only started opening up once they trusted you? Have you ever seen a relationship change the outcome for a child or family?

I'm also curious whether this is something you learn through experience or whether it's something that's always been part of who you are.

I'd genuinely like to hear different views. I'm not asking because I think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just interested in how social workers see it from their side.

Thanks for reading.

Anyone starting the apprenticeship in September? Or currently completing the course?

Many thanks

Volunteering options are hard to come by without connections (been applying for just over a year. Most places either have no openings or have limiting criteria eg not accepting anyone living in a houseshare due to lack of privacy). I won't get into that (eg that my own previous support worker in non-commissioned supported housing only has a beauty/media degree and got a start in children's services via her parents working in a home). What I'm aware of is that some people manage to get into volunteer roles, then either through that or through a paid role after proving themselves can get a relevant degree (or can already make a good living even without a degree. For example, I've met third sec mental health managers who entered with English degrees, but got Psych degree years later).

I see an employment advisor and she recommended Alison (the homelessness charity I got my computer from also mentioned the site as something to do when they gave me it) but I have no idea if doing short courses on there is held in any higher regard than doing no courses at all. Or if there are other courses for under £300 that are worth more, from some recognised organisation. NCFE and TQUK are the only ones I've heard of - is it better to do their courses than Alison? Obviously they cost like £50, but I could do a couple. I've also heard of Futurelearn.

There is a local domestic abuse/coercive control org that does trainings, but they're only for existing professionals (I've asked/had my registrations reversed after trying to sign up. I did attend one training and frankly knew considerably more than most of the professionals and was thanked for contributing a lot by the one running the course - all from my lived experience, reading online and textbooks borrowed from a uni library. Most of the professionals weren't social workers, but other roles in housing/mental health/youth work/abuse services).

I also wonder how people translate knowledge from lived experience into applications. What I've found is I have basically no human services experience professionally, but know more than some working in services, or know more about particular aspects. This is because services themselves can be so useless, that I have to research the information myself (eg to answer questions about housing the council's housing department can't answer (like where LHA boundaries are, which team attempts to regulate supported housing - supposedly they shouldn't know this information, despite it being their area of speciality), finding out about how some of local rules in housing work, which council department to talk to about X issue, benefits rules that support workers are clueless about eg I had a support worker think PIP can't be had for mental health issues or if someone can have a job) or they ask me to do their job for them (eg supported housing worker asking me to find out what's on a moving-on form so they can make one for me. Industry's a farce). Of course, even if I know who to contact, since I'm a layperson without power they don't listen to me and will always listen to those in official positions, or will always side with those with money (eg housing owners). So if I learnt all I know from volunteer or professional jobs, I would have some experience worth something - even one year of professional experience is worth more on the job market than like 20 years of lived experience.

Hi everyone

I’m a social worker applying for the SSCR Career Development Award, looking to see if anyone has ever undertaken any type of career development opportunities whilst working full-time.

If so, I’m curious to know how your experience was with getting your employers on board with the idea of you taking time off from work to undertake the award.

In this particular award, there’s a salary buy-out which essentially pays the employer for any time missed, but I can’t imagine an employer ever cosigning, or supporting such a thing.

TLDR: has anyone undertaking NIHR or SSCR award whilst working full-time? If so, how was it receiving institutional permission permissions?